Workshop invitation

From time to time I get questions about Art Therapy and my work with people with special needs... For all of you, interested in this topics, we organize
'Art Therapy kampus' in Ptuj (26. in 27.7.2010).

My workshop has a title: What I (don't) see, what I (don't) hear, what I (don't) say - art-therapy glance onto mutual relationships. I think the title says it all...

If you're interested and want more information about this Art Therapy kampus, write me an e-mail and I'll send you all the required info.

Come, you won't be sorry!

Closed eyes

Have you ever tried to draw with closed eyes?

You need a paper and a pencil, then you close your eyes, slow down your thoughts and then start to draw. You just follow the pencil without thinking what will come out, or thinking about what do you draw.

It is a good feeling to 'just' draw without any thoughts and without wishing to draw something 'concrete'. You just relax and follow your inner self. Or you can choose one word to 'meditate' on it and draw while you're thinking of it...

The picture might turn out as interesting as this one:

If you do that every day, you can look at all the drawings that you've made and compare one to another. You will be surprised with the results! :)

Try it and tell me how do you like it! I always have lots of fun when I do that - I hope you will enjoy it too!

Messy

What is messy for you?

I get very different answers to this question. The parents' answer is different from childrens', teachers' different from pupils'… Some don't like to be messy at all, some tolerate it.
But being messy can be very useful for some people, so I think we should do it more often - at home, in the schools, on holidays, at the workshops...

At the art therapy, when we learn about our klient (how he solves problems, what are his/her problems, what he/she likes...), we try to figure it out, if being messy would help the klient to go over his/her blockades. Being messy is useful for the people who handle their problems physically. They have a need to express theirselves with their body, with the movement.

We can be messy with the paint or clay. Clay is useful for the people who have too much energy or for the hyperactive people.

Some people have problems to touch the mess. They don't touch it with their hands, but they use one finger only. And some people don't want to make an 'ugly' picture...

This month I have an art therapy with a schoolgirl who was worried about making an ugly picture. We talked about what is ugly and what not a lot. Only after our conversation she became more relaxed and enjoyed being messy with the paint. That was a progress for us...

After some time, this mess (when this need will be satisfied) will organise itself in order, and then the art works will express the girl's inner self.

In our schools and kindergartens there is not enough awareness that the children have to express themselves in their own way and should not be creative just because they have to get a good grade. Children should explore different materials and test them not to get good grades, but to see which material will help them the most to express their inner self the way they want it. This is their need.

But, of course, for the 'messy' project we need the right equipment. We have to cover the creative space with protective covers, dress the klient and us into the clothes that can be dirty, choose the materials that will handle all the messy process...
And then: off we go and put our hands in the mess! :)

How about you - have you been messy lately?

Home is where your heart grows

Dear Hrandica gave me this reward:

and asked me to write 7 things about me.

I decided to write about the things that inspire me. There’s a special magic in them, because they've changed me to a better person.

7 things that make my heart grow:

1. Music for all occasions, like this one for 'critical' times:
'Try not to get worried, try not to turn on to
Problems that upset you, oh.
Don't you know
Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.
And we want you to sleep well tonight.
Let the world turn without you tonight.
If we try, we'll get by, so forget all about us tonight…'

2. Teacher with wise words, like these:
'Your being in this World is your prayer;
radiance of your Love is your meditation;
and your will power and abilities are your work on this World.'

3. Art therapist with advices like this one:
'Focus only on the goal that someone wants from you, but the path to the goal is all yours.'

4. Mt Kailash:
A sacred place for 5 religions, a source of 4 big Asian rivers, a jewel in a shape of pyramid

5. Hundertwasser with his writings like this one:
A magical World?

6. Victims of crime:
They've opened a new World to me.

7. Artists Edi Majaron and Jakov Brdar:
With their boundless energy they showed me how to create, create... despite of obstacles and criticism. To work, to enjoy, to admire, and to create works that spread around Joy and Love.

And here is my 'Spiral of Life' to say Thank You to all of you, creative people who inspire and change the World with your works, words and the work you do. I'm glad to be a part of this World!

(my art-therapy work)

Soon spring will come...

...and colours will bloom!

(colourful spring in Amsterdam)

(colourful tulips)

(colourful art works (Hundertwasser))

(and colourful art-therapy works)

Don't you just love colours?!

That's how I see spring.
This post was inspired by: Scoutie girl. Go there to see how the others see spring, too.